


When The Teacup Shatters

by Void (EroEmo)



Category: Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator
Genre: Angst and Feels, Blow Jobs, Canon Compliant, Drunken Confessions, Dubious Morality, Emotional Infidelity, Eventual Fluff, F/M, Joseph appears as a good person but in the end... he's not, M/M, Not your Typical Coffeeshop AU of sort, Pre-Canon, Recreational Drug Use, Slow Burn, Swearing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-21
Updated: 2017-08-21
Packaged: 2018-12-18 08:42:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,428
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11870700
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EroEmo/pseuds/Void
Summary: Satan is still an angel in a way, even after his fall. That's why it's hard to tell whether what you see is a promise of salvation or a way to your damnation until it's too late.Robert learns that the hard way.





	When The Teacup Shatters

**Author's Note:**

> For the record, I don't plan on writing anything graphic or explicit but if something like that happens, I'll make sure to put a proper warning at the beginning of the chapter.
> 
> Also I can't promise a regular update but for now I'll try my best to post a chapter once a week or two!   
> For now, enjoy!

The whole room was filled with the calm music seeping from the small radio on the counter, respective sounds perfectly echoing in the air of that peewee coffeehouse.

Not that it was a bad feature. The cafe seemed a lot more… cozier. More comfortable and secluded. If not for the rush outside, it’d be hard to believe the place was located near the main street.

Robert had trouble believing that, at least. Even though he was standing right there, idly looking for someone in charge. He started today and it would be nice to know what he was supposed to do on this shift.

“Ah, you must be Robert?” A guy from behind the counter approached him, friendly smile on his face as he was giving him five. “I’m Kevin, your superior. Sorta.”

“Hello.” Rob nodded, following the brunet to the staff room at the back.

He was given a uniform, that is a black polo shirt and a matching apron. As he was changing, Kevin spoke again:

“Sorry for such a hectic interview before and stuff, we are kind of short handed and all,” he said, adjusting his glasses. “You’re literally a godsend.”

Robert shrugged, tying his apron.

“I’m waiting for responses from companies and some cash would be nice so, yeah, no job is beneath you or something.”

Kevin snorted.

“True but being a barista isn’t that bad. You gonna see it yourself.” He winked meaningfully, gesturing Robert to follow him once again.

Working in a local coffeehouse wasn’t the peak of his dreams, to tell the truth. He hadn’t been studying to become a sound technician to end up like that. Maybe he wasn’t one of the brightest students in his year but he _knew_ he deserved more in life. Or at least hoped for something better.

For now though, since any job seemed better than no job at all, he was about to learn how to use a coffeemaker properly. That is, to make a decent coffee and not hurt himself or the machine in the process. After fifth or sixth approach, he actually managed to prepare a drinkable espresso. At least in Kevin’s opinion, as for Rob’s bland taste buds, each one of the previous coffees seemed okay. Not to mention this whole ‘making coffee’ lesson took quite a piece of his shift. The other guy couldn’t stand by him all the time, only the two of them there to take care of the place and all of the customers’ needs.

To speak the truth, Robert inwardly was thankful for the few customers at the beginning of his shift, however his happiness didn’t last too long. More and more people started to come inside, ordering beverages that didn’t sound like coffee at all. If he wasn’t sure where he worked, he would assume they were talking in French or some other shit.

“How the fuck did you come up with the names?” He asked his superior after those few hours of taking orders, all words he had heard cutesy or unpronounceable. “They’re all crazy!”

“N’aw, people like that,” Kevin answered calmly, pouring milk into the tall glass. “They prefer funny names to long and painfully practical ones.”

He poured coffee to the same glass and created a pattern on top, smiling at the result.

“And that’s the rosette,” he stated proudly, giving Rob the glass. “Table three.”

When he handed the drink to the customer, he spotted someone staring at him. At first, Robert decided to ignore that. He was probably overreacting or some shit. Being nervous during first day in work, all of that stuff. However, the longer he was glancing in that direction, the more confident he felt in his previous observation.

The guy was sitting by window, small table crowded with notebooks and paper sheets, a cup somewhat balancing of top of that.

Robert didn’t wish to directly confront the customer, especially not during his first shift but. There was something in that guy. He usually paid no mind to people and their actions but this one guy was different. He was constantly feeling his eyes on his back, skin on his neck prickling.

In the end he decided on the less problematic option. He stared back.

The creep blinked a few times at him, smiled and then returned to scribbling in his notebook, as if nothing happened. The pattern repeated itself at least four times on the rest of Robert’s shift. And that meant an hour if not less.

Even as he was leaving the place, he could feel that strange gaze on his back.

_Amazing first day at your new job, Robert Small. Congratulate yourself on such a luck! You barely started and already met some creep!_

His hand wandered to the back pocket of his jeans, taking out a pack of cigarettes. Marilyn complained thousands of times to him about smoking and how adverse it was but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t quit. Nothing eased his stress as well as lighting one up.

And boy, was he stressed right now. Partially because of that weirdo but mostly thanks to other factors, finding a decent job on top of the list.

He let out a smoky breath, rays of afternoon sun reflecting in panes.

If only his life was as bright as that light.

 

 

As far as he was informed, there were only two kinds of shifts. Morning ones appeared really calm and sleepy, opening place and setting everything ready probably the most exciting part of it. You had to come early to check on coffeemakers and all of the supplies, turn radio on, stuff like that. Since the cafe was secluded, barely anyone came in the morning. People usually started to show up around lunch and later on. But that was part of the afternoon shift.

Robert couldn’t decide which one he disliked less. Sure, coming in the morning meant lots of free time and same pay as for the afternoon relay but. Definition of the word ‘morning’ depended on a person. For Rob, it was time between 11am and 4pm. For Kevin, and therefore for the boss directly above him, it meant this unholy gap starting at 7am and ending at 1pm.

As much as he _despised_ the idea of serving people drinks for six hours straight, waking up early seemed a whole lot worse. In the end, he was known to be able to deal with people, this or that way. And he was sure this ability had a better use without usual grumpiness and bitterness, the curse of unholy time before noon.

That’s why now he stood in front of coffee house's door, the small crowd inside visible through glass. He sighed, walking inside and hoping for a shift to go easy on him. Adjusting to work in a place like that seemed easier at the beginning. Yesterday’s shift didn’t do, to Robert’s discontent.

He didn’t even manage to put on his uniform when he felt a familiar prickling on his neck.

_For fuck’s sake, not again._

He turned only to spot an already too well-known silhouette from previous shift. All his hopes for today went astray.

_Why me._

Robert took yet another deep breath, trying his best to ignore the nuisance in the corner of the cafe. However, just as Kevin was about to left the place to him and the other barista, he decided on taking a shot.

“Hey, may I ask you somethin’?”

“Hm?” The man turned to face Rob, a curious look on his face.

“Do you know the guy over there?” He made a subtle gesture with his chin, not wanting to look crude.

“The blond by the crowded table?” Kevin didn’t even look at that direction, smile showing up as he spotted Robert’s surprise. “It’s Joseph, our regular.”

_Oh._

“He may seem a bit, hm, quirky at first but he’s no trouble at all,” he said, winking. “He hasn’t ordered a coffee yet so you might as well make him one. It’s a good way to get familiar with each other.”

Robert wasn’t sure if that could be considered a good idea. He literally thought the guy was some creep and came up with some not necessarily nice ways to treat him if he ever caught him staring again.

“He takes medium black, a little of whipped milk on top with cinnamon. Just so you know.” And with that he waved him goodbye, walking outside and leaving Rob on (almost) his own.

He weighed his options, eventually deciding on making that damn coffee. Even if that meant facing the guy. Not that Robert was scared, no. He rather felt uneasy because he couldn’t let himself offend _the regular._ That would probably mean him being canned and as much as he wished for another job, he _needed_ money. And pay up here wasn’t _that_ bad.

He took the cup to the crowded table in the corner, the blond lifting his gaze up as Robert tried to find a place to put the coffee. The damn table consisted of papers and books, probably even more notes underneath the outer pile.

“You’re new here,” was the first thing he heard from the guy. Not _hello_ or _let me take that from you_ or other shit. “Nice to finally meet you.”

He grabbed some papers and put them aside, making a place for his drink.

“After staring at me for the whole shift yesterday?” Robert remarked, a little against his own will. _Be polite,_ Marilyn’s voice reproachful in his mind.

Joseph, if he remembered the name correctly, gave him a remorseful smile, fingers playing with a pen he was holding.

“I’m sorry about that,” he finally said, his voice nothing but honesty. “I didn’t mean to make you feel uncomfortable. I just…” he dropped his gaze, chewing on his bottom lip.

“Hm?”

“I barely see new faces here anymore, noticing a change in environment got my attention. I know it doesn’t sound convincing or good but I don’t know how to put that differently, sorry.”

Robert mused for a mere second, answering with the shrug in the next one. This short talk gave him enough information to be sure about two things.

First, he was way too leery for his own sake. Second, the guy in front of him was no threat at all. He talked and behaved like a high school nerd, maybe just in a better packaging than typical representative of the category.

“Thanks for the coffee,” he added after a moment, squinting his blue eyes a bit. “...Robert.”

Ah, right. He had forgotten he had a tag with the name now.

“It’s Joseph, by the way,” he extended his hand, Rob reluctantly taking it.

“I know, Kevin told me,” he said bluntly, Joseph smile even more apologetic than before. “I gotta go back to work, so…” Rob vaguely gestured at the counter where his coworker stood.

The blond nodded and Robert didn’t care to wait to find out if he had anything else to add. He turned around on his feel and headed the coffeemaker, the line in front of the counter looking like a hell of work.

 

 

At the end of a day, when the other barista gave him keys and asked to close the place because she had to quit a few minutes earlier, Robert was exhausted. If anybody ever told him this was an easy job, he would punch him.

He stretched his arm real high, trying to ease the pain in his back. Then he heard chair shuffling, only to spot Joseph slowly packing his belongings. Robert sighed, not knowing if this was the universe making fun of him or what. Was he cursed with his presence?

The other barista checked everything before she left, so he only had to close the door. Easy task but only if there was no one left. Rob leaned on the counter, idly observing Joseph and wondering when the guy would catch the clue.

When he finally did, he made the same sorry expression from earlier. Jeez, was this guy always so sensitive about others’ reactions?

“Sorry for keeping you here,” Joseph approached him, the bag full of books and notes heavy on his arm. “I usually start to pack myself up earlier.”

“You always stay till closing?”

“Yeah,” Robert groaned in his mind, a brief picture of his timetable flashing in his memory. The universe really did hate him. “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, come on,” he urged him to the door, closing behind them.

He would call it a small success, getting rid of Joseph for today. Only that he didn’t.

The guy seemed to silently follow him, a decent space kept between them until Robert chose to abruptly turn around, death glare directed at the blond.

“What?” He grinded out, Joseph taking a small step back.

“I’m going home just like you,” he replied firmly, no fear in his voice whatsoever. That was surprising, considering the fact even strangers tended to be wary around Robert when pissed.

Rob remained silent, still staring at him with that trademark glare, suspicion not leaving him for even a second. Joseph sighed heavily, shoulders hunched and head dropped in resignation.

“I know, you don’t believe me because of how  I’ve behaved the other day. I get it,” he looked up, his eyes sparkling with surprising confidence and… kindness? Maybe, Rob couldn’t exactly tell. “But can you give me another chance? Let me start anew? I don’t wish to be your enemy number one.”

Robert actually snorted at that, crossing arms on his chest, his gaze less piercing.

“Fine,” he said eventually, Joseph looking already happier. “Should I know about anything else, though? So that I won’t get suspicious again later.”

The blond wondered for a bit, cupping his chin as his mind wandered God knows where.

“I come to and out of cafe around same time everyday, walk this way till the intersection then turning right behind the liquor store… Unless it’s academic year, then I visit less frequently,” he said, shrugging. “You can meet me pretty often in the harbor, the library or anywhere around local college and its facilities, really.” He counted on his fingers, his eyes fixed on Robert.

“Okay then, let’s go to that liquor store. I need to restock my supplies,” he said, turning his back to Joseph, strolling down the street to the well known place. “And then we can say our goodbyes.”

“Sure,” Joseph said.

Rob didn’t look back.

It wasn’t like he planned on getting closer to that guy anyway.

**Author's Note:**

> Shout out to my friend and beta, technorat (gaygalaxyguy on tumblr)!! If not for him, this fic would be... bad.
> 
> Thank you in advance for every kudo, comment and bookmark! Each single one of them means a world to me ;v;


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